MAJOR OVERHAUL, AGAIN!
By Jason Gregor
10 years ago
This is not breaking news by any stretch, but by next October the Oilers will have 50% of their opening night roster from this season changed over. With Anton Belov signing a four-year deal to return to the KHL that means three of the Oilers starting D-men from last October won’t be in the lineup this coming October.
It isn’t just the defence that will have a massive overhaul.
Last season’s opening night roster looked like this: (players in bold are no longer in organization)
Smyth-Hall-Hemsky
Perron-Arcobello-Eberle
Joensuu-Gordon-Yakupov
Gazdic-Acton-Brown
Ference-J.Schultz
Smid-Petry
N.Schultz-Belov
Smid-Petry
N.Schultz-Belov
Dubnyk
LaBarbera
Those eight along with Ryan Jones and Denis Grebeshkov (not re-signing), Wil Acton and Jesse Joensuu (shouldn’t be on roster) and Sam Gagner (trade) makes 13 of 26 players who dressed early last season, who might not be here in six months.
You can look at those changes two ways:
1.) It means the Oilers realize they aren’t good enough and had to improve.
2.) You should be concerned because many of the players they brought in last year weren’t good enough.
Can anyone say with certainty that the players they bring in this year will be better? I don’t think you can. I believe that Oscar Klefbom and Martin Marincin have much more potential than N.Schultz or Belov, but will that potential appear right away?
The Oilers had to change their roster because it wasn’t good enough, but MacTavish must ensure that he and his pro scouts bring in competent replacements this year. If the organization wants to grow they can’t afford to sign guys who can’t play. They need to bring in better players.
QUICK HITS
Mikhail Grabovski. He isn’t perfect, but he possesses the puck well and can produce.
Dave Bolland. If he wants $5 million/year then pass. He can chip in with 30-35 points and is very good defensively. Excellent 3rd line guy who could move up to 2nd line for a few games if needed.
Brian Boyle. Would add size down the middle or on the wing. Outside of one 20-goal season he hasn’t been very consistent offensively, but he does have decent offensive skills.
Devin Setoguchi. Good complementary player. He likely wouldn’t cost much, but the former #8 overall pick has skills despite a poor season in Winnipeg.
Nikolai Kulemin. A big body who is responsibly defensively, produces shots and chances. He scored 61 goals his first three seasons, but has only scored 23 in his past 188 games. He could be a solid 3rd line left winger.
Dave Bolland. If he wants $5 million/year then pass. He can chip in with 30-35 points and is very good defensively. Excellent 3rd line guy who could move up to 2nd line for a few games if needed.
Brian Boyle. Would add size down the middle or on the wing. Outside of one 20-goal season he hasn’t been very consistent offensively, but he does have decent offensive skills.
Devin Setoguchi. Good complementary player. He likely wouldn’t cost much, but the former #8 overall pick has skills despite a poor season in Winnipeg.
Nikolai Kulemin. A big body who is responsibly defensively, produces shots and chances. He scored 61 goals his first three seasons, but has only scored 23 in his past 188 games. He could be a solid 3rd line left winger.
There are some big name offensive players like Tomas Vanek, Marian Gaborik, Matt Moulson and Milan Michalek, but all of them are left wingers and the Oilers have Hall and Perron, so I don’t see why you would add more top salaries on the left wing. If the Oilers were going to spend big in free agency then I’d go after centre Paul Stastny.
Stastny is 28 and has become a solid two-way player. He’s exactly what the Oilers need, but if he tests the market I think he’ll be the most sought after UFA and will command $6-6.5 million over 7 years.
The Oilers need some experience on the backend other than Andrew Ference. Last summer I said they should look at Ron Hainsey, and he would have been better than any of the five aforementioned D-men. I’d still consider him, but they also need a right shot veteran. Matt Greene would help their leadership and size, and even though his footspeed and puckmoving skills aren’t great, I wouldn’t have an issue with him on their third pairing. The free agent list of defenders doesn’t have many big, strong, defensively sound players, but MacTavish has to get a proven player, rather than a wildcard.
I understand people are concerned about his defensive play, but I don’t need him to be great defensively, just solid. He needs to work on when to pinch and when to stay back, but his offensive instincts are very good. He excels in that area, and as he matures and learns the defensive side of the game he will be very valuable. A good comparable could be Matt Niskanen. Niskanen’s first two seasons were fairly good, then he struggled for a few before being dealt to Pittsburgh, and now at 27 he has emerged as a very good D-man.
It takes time for most D-men to develop, especially those who were pure offensive D-men in college or junior, and I suspect that Schultz will prove many of his detractors wrong in the future.
It would be great for Klefbom, Nurse, Lander, Pitlick and the rest of the Barons to get some playoff experience. Nurse has played very well according to Todd Nelson and the more experience those young players get the better prepared they will be to battle for a spot at Oilers training camp in October.
I only see room for one of Klefbom or Nurse in Edmonton next season, and maybe neither to start the season, but both will come to camp hungry to make the team. I’d send Nurse back to junior just to get more seasoning, but at some point soon it will be a refreshing change when the Oilers can send some players down who are actually ready for the NHL, but didn’t make it because they have too many quality NHL players.
Recently by Jason Gregor:
Recent articles from Jason Gregor
